After quite a lot of market fluctuation over the past two years, you may be looking to diversify your investments and put money into assets that are less likely to be so volatile or that at least round out your portfolio.
There are numerous options to consider, but you may be interested in putting some money into precious metals. Before doing this, make sure you understand some of the top mistakes people make when sinking their cash into these areas.
Expecting Too Much
While we all invest our money intending to see it grow and help us reach our financial and personal goals, nothing is a given. This is just as much the case in the precious metals area as it is with any other financial vehicle, including stocks, bonds, and property. However, many people put money into gold, silver, and other metals with the expectation that they’ll make hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars out of the tactic. This result isn’t impossible, but it’s not the most realistic expectation to have, either.
Precious metals aren’t likely to ever double in value in one year or have returns in that vicinity, so you need to understand that investing in them should be a long-term strategy rather than a get-rich-quick kind of scheme. Avoid making the mistake of investing money into metals that you need to take back out again in weeks or months and must obtain a quick result on.
Instead, it’s best to see your investment in precious metals as something that helps you hedge yourself financially against inflation and currency depreciation and that enables you to diversify your portfolio.
Buying from Unverified Sellers
Another common mistake investors make regarding precious metals is buying products from unverified sellers. There are plenty of scammers and con artists in this field who do a brilliant job of posing as legitimate dealers and thus trick people out of their money.
As such, always be vigilant about who you buy from and how. If you see a deal that seems too good to be true, it likely is, so don’t rush into handing over cash for products that appear the deal of a lifetime if you can’t tell how reliable the seller is. You don’t want to end up paying money and getting nothing in return or fake or impure products that are worth a fraction of the cash you parted with.
Apart from cheap deals, be wary of dealers claiming to provide free storage, as you may never get to see the products you’re paying for. Another red flag is when there’s an unreasonably long delay in product delivery.
Not Researching Enough
To protect your investment, do plenty of research on sellers and what they’re offering. A mistake many people make is rushing into purchasing and not doing their due diligence, which comes back to bite them later. Avoid this situation by doing a deep dive into all the companies on your shortlist before choosing which one(s) you want to do business with. Take your time watching the market for a while, too, to get a feel for typical highs, lows, and averages.
Read some investment books, check out the blogs of reputable sites that specialize in news and information about precious metals, and talk to people you know who have invested in this area to see which company they dealt with. Don’t be afraid to ask mints, banks, and other sellers questions about how they work and the products they have on offer.
You need to know if the gold bar options they advertise are pure and if their prices include storage, insurance, or other elements. If you don’t get satisfactory answers and no one seems able to provide you with the details you require, it’s best to keep away and try another firm instead. Legitimate, reputable organizations in the precious metals industry will know their data inside and out and won’t need to um and ah about standard questions.
Investing Too Much
While investing in precious metals can provide you with excellent returns over the years, it’s generally not the best idea to put too much of your financial portfolio into this specific area. No matter the type of investment, it’s wise to only put some of your assets into it and develop a diversified portfolio. This way, when one or some areas are having a low period, some other investment types should stay steady or even grow, thus balancing things out somewhat.
Consider starting with small investments in gold, silver, or other metals and then building from there once you’ve seen how things perform and you have a better idea of the market.
The more you learn about precious metals and the market for them, the easier it will be for you to see if this is an area for you or not. Always consider your risk profile before investing, too.
This article is for information and educational purposes only and does not form a recommendation to invest or otherwise. The investments referred to in this article may not be suitable for all investors, and if in doubt, an investor should seek advice from a qualified investment adviser.